First Selectman Puts Out Welcome Mat

First 'Monday With Mary' Draws Two Dozen Residents

December 11, 2007|By LORETTA WALDMAN; Courant Staff Writer

SIMSBURY — In keeping with her pledge to "throw open" town government, newly elected First Selectman Mary Glassman opened her office Monday in the first of what is expected to be many regular open houses.

About two dozen residents turned out for the two informal "meet and greet" sessions, the first in the morning and the other in the afternoon. Some stayed just long enough to say hello while others sat around her large conference table chatting with Glassman and noshing on cookies.

"I've known her since her first term and did some work on her campaign," said Ken Mason, marketing director at Westminster School and one of those attending the later session, from 4 to 6 p.m. "I'm here really to welcome her back and to see what she has to say about her priorities."

Monday marked the start of Glassman's second week in office but up to this point she has been focused primarily on getting reacquainted with town hall staff and town business. During the campaign, Glassman said she would hold regular open houses that she dubbed "Mondays with Mary." Questions posed by residents attending the first one ranged from tax relief to plans for Simsbury Airport.

Monday's sessions were followed by the first full meeting of the newly elected board of selectmen, at which members unanimously approved the appointment of Republican Richard Hogan, who was nominated by the GOP town committee last week to fill the vacant seat created by the resignation of first selectman-turned-selectman Tom Vincent.

Glassman provided each member with a thick binder filled with important documents and information that included copies of the town charter, ordinances, state freedom of information law, and town plan of conservation and development.

A Democrat, Glassman presides over a board evenly split between Republicans and Democrats, with each party having three seats. But on Monday, members seemed willing to put partisanship aside, taking little more than an hour to run through a 15-item agenda and voting unanimously on the items involving decisions.

The remainder of the meeting was an orientation for the new board and featured presentations by Lyle Wray, executive director of Capitol Regional Council of Governments, and heads of various town departments.

Republican Robert Hensley and Democrat Michael Long thanked Glassman for the primer.